Are you stuck in the rat race and just want to work for yourself? There’s little that beats the freedom of being an entrepreneur. But what if you don’t have business ideas? How do you start making money if you don’t know what you want to do?
In this guide, we’re going to talk about:
- Ways you can begin making money online
- Ways you can start a business in your community
- Ideas to get you started making money with very little investment
Read through this list and choose a few ideas that strike you. Then, use your imagination! You may be the next multi-millionaire business owner before you know it! Here are 21 great business ideas for making money.
1. Start a publication
If you’re an expert on any topic, or even if you just enjoy a topic, our first business idea is that you can start your own publication. For the purpose of this guide, let’s call it a “magazine.”
Your magazine doesn’t have to be anything fancy to begin with. And it can be as niche or broad as you want it to be. You can focus on a specific breed of dog, or explore aviation as a whole. That’s up to you, just make sure it’s something you’re actually interested in!
Begin your publication online if you don’t have a lot to invest, or speak with a publisher if you’ve got a little more capital. Then, take to social media and ask for writers and photographers to “donate” their thoughts in exchange for a byline. Later, you can pay your artists and writers as your business grows.
- You don’t need a printing press to start a publication
- Your initial contributions can be unpaid, then you can pay artists as you grow
- Choose a niche or a topic that you’re interested in – you don’t want to become bored with your own business!
2. Create online courses
So, you got that degree in art, huh? Can’t find a job that applies to your major? Well, as they say, if you can’t do, teach. That goes for you, too! But you don’t have to teach at a school or a university to start making money. Instead, why not create a series of online courses that teach others what you know?
Your online courses don’t have to be related to your major. In fact, you don’t need to be educated at all. Did you spend the last 25 years as a flintknapper? Then write a course about it! There are tons of people out there who want to know what you know, and they’ll pay for you to tell them all about it.
There are platforms online that will allow you to publish your own courses. But if you want to lose that overhead (they usually deduct a commission) then create your own website. It’s inexpensive and easy, but remember that you’ll have to do your own marketing.
- You can start making money by teaching other people what you know
- Publishing online courses is cheap or free, and it’s easy to do
- You can use a platform like Udemy or you can launch your own website – the choice is yours!
3. Start a career as a blogger
Don’t let the online bloggerdom fool you – blogging for money is seriously hard work. It takes hours upon hours each day to get your blog built, marketed and credible, and even then you’re not guaranteed to succeed.
But if you have a very particular set of interests, you can start making money with this business idea. Choose your niche and stick to it, then build, build, build. Before you know it, you’ll gain a respectable following and will be able to monetize your site.
Becoming a blogger doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t quit your day job. Instead, work on growing your follower base and gradually transition into being your own boss.
- Blogging is hard work, but it can pay off in the end
- You’re not going to start making money blogging overnight, so take your time
- Choose a niche you love and grow your following, then monetize your site
4. Learn graphic design
Graphic designers are growing in demand, and if you have an artistic eye and are good with a mouse, this could be a great business idea for you. Graphic designers do all sorts of cool stuff. They design book covers, packaging for global products (after all, someone designed that cereal box!) and more.
You don’t need a formal background in design to get started making money with this idea, but it certainly helps. If university courses aren’t an option for you, invest in a few smaller classes that will teach you the basics – even a class that teaches you how to use software will be immensely helpful.
Then, create a portfolio. You can “invent” companies if you want, just be sure your prospective clients know that they’re not real, but only a sampling of what you’re capable of. Begin to market yourself and share your portfolio, and start making money as a graphic designer!
- You don’t need formal training to become a graphic designer
- An artistic eye is critical to the job
- You can make money simply by creating a portfolio online and sharing your talents with others
5. Create eBooks
The cool thing about ebooks is that you only have to write them once. That means they’re fully scalable and you can continue making money on your books simply by letting them sit there on a platform like Kindle.
You do, however, have to be good at writing. If you write an ebook about a nonsense topic, or people can’t understand the words you’re saying, those bad reviews are going to do you in. So, as you write your books, be sure you have an editor proof them for you to make sure they’re sound and will sell.
What should you write about? Anything! You can search online to see what’s trending, or simply write about something you’re passionate about. People have made money writing about everything from skydiving to parenting, so just let your imagination work for you.
Then, once your initial book starts making money, create more. Post them, too, and soon you’ll have a trickle of income that you’re not even working for!
- Anyone who can write well can write an ebook
- You can publish your ebook for free on platforms like Amazon and the NOOK book store
- Be sure to have an editor proof your book before you publish, as bad reviews will ruin your business quickly
6. Start a drop-ship business
Drop ship businesses are relatively easy to get started, and usually there’s very little overhead. You’re going to need to do your research on the best suppliers, products and more, and it’s definitely going to take many hours to get started. Once your online store is up and running, though, you can work the hours you want and have fun doing it!
Never heard of drop shipping? Well, basically you’re selling other people’s products online and someone else is fulfilling the orders for you. You’ll want to pay attention to your markup and the shipping costs of the carrier, but with a bit of research on drop shipping you can figure if out in a hurry.
There are super platforms online, like Shopify, that will allow you to begin making money by building a store and paying a small monthly fee. Stick with it, though! Only 3% of online businesses last 5 years, mostly because the site owners get complacent!
- This business idea is relatively easy if you do your research
- With drop shipping, you can choose your market and your products
- Remember – this takes work! Don’t give up and risk failure
7. Consult businesses in your area
What do you know about? What do you think businesses in your area need? For instance, maybe you’ve noticed that there are few “green” local businesses. Or maybe you’ve noticed that your neighborhood stores don’t have the online presence they should.
Whatever it is you see a need for in your community, offer to consult business owners on how to improve. There are plenty of online courses that allow you to build your skills so that you maintain your credibility.
With a good, strong background and some effective marketing, you can start making money with this business idea in as little as a few weeks!
- Observe your neighborhood and identify its needs
- Then, offer yourself as a consultant to those businesses
- You can choose to consult businesses on anything from sustainability to hiring practices
8. Become an income tax preparer
If you love doing your taxes, you’re in the minority. Most people loathe the time of year when taxes come due, so that’s your opportunity to shine. With this business idea, you can start making money doing something you like to do – and there’s definitely a market for it!
Check with your local laws and regulations to ensure that no special license is needed to become a tax preparer. In most cases there are optional certifications you can get. In fact, you can even “cheat” and attend a free class at one of the chain tax preparation brands, then use that knowledge and certification to start your own business.
If you do choose this route, remember that tax season is going to be very busy for you, so plan accordingly. Also, be sure to keep in touch with your clients year round so that you can ensure they come back to you!
- If you love doing taxes, you’re in luck – most people hate to do them
- You can start making money this tax season by preparing others’ taxes for them
- Check with your district’s regulations to see if you need licensure or certification first
9. Tutor schoolchildren or college students
It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a degree or not. If you know more than someone else, you can start making money with this business idea. Let’s say you’re very good at mathematics. Put that knowledge and skill to work, and offer your services as a tutor. You can work with school aged children or post graduate students – whatever your skill set allows.
Market yourself online, in your local community and through word of mouth. Get in touch with the school systems to ask if there’s a way you can offer your services. Then, get to work! You’ll love seeing the “light bulb” light up when your students finally understand that concept they just couldn’t grasp.
- If you’re good at an area of study, you can market yourself as a tutor
- You don’t need to be a college graduate to tutor, you just need knowledge and patience
- Tutoring is quite rewarding when your student finally “gets it”
10. Become a travel consultant
Everyone loves to travel, and everyone also likes to save money. Even businesses, when planning business trips, are looking for the cheapest options. However, not everyone has time to sit down next to a computer and research lowest flight fares and hotel rates.
You do, though! If you love travel, and have some experience crawling the web for the best deals, you can absolutely become a travel consultant. Offer your services to the community and to large businesses.
There are perks associated with this business idea, too. Not only will you be making money while having fun, you also get to rack up on some mad airline miles and hotel points. That’s right, friend… they’re yours. So when you want to take a week off, fly on over to Berlin for free and stay at the fancy hotel you’ve always wanted to visit!
- Becoming a travel consultant requires no certification in most places
- You can work with individuals or with larger businesses
- There are definitely perks to starting your business as a travel consultant!
11. Become an SEO specialist
Today, everyone wants to be at the top of the search engine results. So businesses, large and small, are depending on SEO specialists to make that a reality. You don’t need special training to become an SEO specialist, and you can start making money pretty quickly with this business idea.
Now, there are some things you need to know about this idea. First, you can start this business as a self-taught professional. But second, make sure you know your stuff. Do your research and hone your skills before offering your services. There are some serious “no nos” in the search engine world, and the last thing you want is for your client’s website to be penalized.
That said, there are oodles of resources online that you can find information about search engine optimization. You can also consider finding yourself a mentor who knows the business.
- SEO is extremely important to any business with an online presence
- You don’t need formal education to become a specialist
- You do need to know what you’re talking about in order to give your client the results he wants
12. Start an online resale store
You’ve heard of eBay and the other sites online that allow everyday people to sell their stuff. But what about selling other people’s stuff. You can start making money with this business idea as soon as the same day you begin it!
First, take inventory of what you have in your own home that you want to get rid of. Post good, detailed ads on your favorite resale site, and list them for sale. Then, start visiting thrift shops and charity shops in your area and look for the “good stuff.” These items will be brand name, easy to ship and marked down.
Then, post these items online, and before you know it you’ll be making money every time you go to the post.
- You can start a business selling other people’s – and your own – stuff
- Choose your favorite auction or resale site and begin posting
- You can start making money as soon as the first day your business opens
13. Become a photographer
Has anyone ever told you that you take great pictures? Why not start making money with your talent? There are so many things you can do with a camera, so get clicking. Some ideas are:
- Hiring yourself out as a wedding photographer
- Advertising your services with midwives and hospitals for newborn pictures
- Selling your images as stock photos online
- Teaming up with a graphic designer to supply images on commission
- Visit private schools and offer your services as a yearbook portrait photographer
- Hire yourself out as a food photographer for restaurants
You get the point – now get out your camera!
14. Become a greeting card writer
You would be very surprised at how much this business idea can earn you. First, we’d recommend working with a large scale greeting card company in your area. You can find out who these guys are by getting a copy of the Writer’s Digest or a similar book – they’ll be filed under “greeting cards.”
Then, once you gain some experience writing funny, trite or sappy sayings for the insides of greeting cards, it’s time to move on to do your own. Work with an online platform that will print items and ship them for you, or create your own store on Etsy or another artsy sales platform.
People need cards for every occasion, and they’re never going to stop looking for a unique way to express their sentiments. So put your thinking cap on and start making money with this business idea.
- You can be paid quite a bit of money by writing greeting cards for big companies
- Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you can move on and create your own cards
- You can publish your own cards or work with an online printing platform that will distribute them for you
15. Start a personal chef business
Do you love to cook? Would you not mind cooking in other people’s homes? Then this business idea may be right up your alley! When you become a personal chef, you’ll basically be making money by cooking meals ahead of time for people who either don’t know how or don’t have time to do it for themselves.
A majority of the time, you’ll be cooking these meals in your own home, then portioning them out into freezer-safe packages. Your client will simply pull out Tuesday’s meal on Tuesday, heat it according to your instructions, and you get paid.
Sometimes, though, you may be asked to cook for others in their home. This could be because they’re having a romantic evening together or a double date with another couple. That said, you can’t be afraid to think on your feet, and you have to be willing to find yourself around someone else’s kitchen!
- If you love to cook, you’ll likely love being a personal chef
- Usually you’ll simply prepare meals for others ahead of time
- Sometimes in-house requests might be made, so check your comfort level
16. Create an app
Today, you don’t need to know how to code to create apps that people will want. You do need to have a solid idea of what you want the app to do, though. You also have to figure out how this app is going to start making money. For instance, will people have to buy the app? Will there be in-app purchases?
Familiarize yourself with Android and iOS guidelines for developers. Keep in mind that there are some things that aren’t allowed, like certain types of adult content. Then, you’re going to want to research whether your idea is marketable – in other words, do people want it?
Then, get to building. Use a program like Xcode to create your app, and submit it to the powers that be. Before you know it, you could be making thousands of dollars each month just by selling virtual fruit or something.
- You don’t need to know how to code to develop an app
- Think of – and research – an app that people will want and will pay money for
- Familiarize yourself with your platform’s restrictions to avoid your app being rejected
17. Refurbish electronics
Are you pretty tech savvy? Know as much about hardware as you do software? You can start making money by collection other people’s discarded electronics. Do you know how to replace a screen on a Galaxy? How to fix a smashed laptop? You get the point. You can use this business idea to make money.
Start small, asking your friends to help you recycle their old and broken electronics. As your business grows, you can start marketing yourself on a national level. Offer your customers incentives to send their electronics to you – for instance a customer could send you her old iPhone 5s in exchange for 30% off her next order. She buys the Acer at a discount, you make money, then you get to resell the 5s!
This may begin more as a side job than a business, but once you start cycling electronics in and out, you can earn enough to quit your day job. Plus, it’s great for the planet to keep all those electronics out of landfills!
- You can make money refurbishing broken electronics
- Start small, then expand your business outward
- Not only will you make money doing this, but you’ll be helping the planet!
18. Become a tour guide
If you’re fortunate enough to live in a place that’s popular with tourists, don’t look at it as a negative. Instead, start making money by offering your services as a tour guide. You can host walking tours of a particular historical site, or simply drive visitors around your town, giving insight into the surroundings.
You can run group tours or offer personalized service, whatever you feel more comfortable with. Be sure you know enough about your city to answer questions your tourist friends may ask. It doesn’t hurt to be bilingual, either!
- You can start making money with this business idea if you know enough about your city
- Run group tours or one on one tours – that’s up to you!
- Being bilingual will help if you have many foreign tourists
19. Begin an event planning business
If you know the ins and outs of your town, you don’t have to be a tour guide. Instead, this business idea allows you to start making money by helping people plan their events. Network with venues, caterers, videographers, DJs and photographers in your area. Then, begin to advertise your services.
You can help couples find the perfect location for their wedding. You can help plan the perfect Quinceanera. Pretty much anything someone needs to hire services for, you can help! Event planning is fun and exciting, and it’s a great way to meet many other business owners in your community. These people will refer you if you do a great job, so stay on task!
- Event planning is a fun and exciting business
- You’ll get to help people with their special day, and network in the process
- The events you can help with are nearly limitless!
20. Teach lessons
You don’t have to teach lessons online, as with an online course. Instead, you can do it from the privacy of your – or someone else’s – home. What are you good at? Take a moment and take stock of what your skills, talents and hobbies are. Now, think about how you can market those skills.
Nothing is off limits. You can teach someone how to play an instrument or how to sew. You can teach someone to cook or how to survive in the woods. You can even teach someone how to prepare to have a baby without pain medication. There truly is no limit.
Before you begin teaching, think about your area of expertise. Then, do some research – do you need a license to teach your skill? For example, you can’t teach a young woman law just because you’re a lawyer! Once you’re sure your business idea is on the up and up, you can start making money teaching others to do what you know best.
- Just about any skill you have is marketable if you find the right customers
- Think outside the box – what do you think would benefit others to know?
- Be sure you don’t need special licensing to teach your skill to others
21. Become a domestic worker
We’ve called it a “domestic” worker in this case because this business idea encompasses many different jobs. You could hire yourself out as an au pair or nanny. You could be a professional carpet cleaner. You could be a general handy person. You could offer to clean homes from top to bottom.
The point is that all these jobs take place around the house. Sure, you could offer your services to businesses too, but usually that’s called “employment” and you want to work for yourself, right? So stick with the locals and the families, and you’ll do just find being a domestic worker or a jack/jill of all trades.
- Many families and individuals need help around the house
- This business idea allows you to start making money while taking care of others
- Nothing is off limits – be a painter, a carpet cleaner, a dog walker – whatever you like!
Conclusion
If you’ve noticed a common theme throughout each of these business ideas, you’re not wrong. You’re not going to begin making money if you’re doing something you don’t like to do. That’s why you’re trying to work for yourself in the first place, right? You want to do what you love and love what you do.
So, with that said, no matter what you choose to do to start your business, be sure it’s something you have a passion for. Do you hate writing? Then selling ebooks on Amazon probably isn’t your best bet. Think dogs are gross? Probably not a good idea to become a pet groomer, right?
Choose something you could see yourself doing every day for the rest of your life and you can’t go wrong. Whether it’s refinishing furniture or making jewelry, your passion for your job will ensure that you make money in your new business.
